


Falling like the stars

by ifeellikeiamamidget



Category: The Flash (TV 2014)
Genre: Family Fluff, Father-Son Relationship, Other
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-28
Updated: 2020-05-28
Packaged: 2021-03-02 23:02:32
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,556
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24424705
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ifeellikeiamamidget/pseuds/ifeellikeiamamidget
Summary: [6x19]. Joe and Barry have a moment to reconnect after Joe’s release from Witness Protection and they take the time to reminisce old childhood memories as they sit on the floor of Joe’s house drinking beer.
Relationships: Barry Allen & Joe West, Cecile Horton & Barry Allen, Cecile Horton/Joe West
Kudos: 12





	Falling like the stars

**Summary** : [6x19]. Joe and Barry have a moment to reconnect after Joe’s release from Witness Protection and they take the time to reminisce old childhood memories as they sit on the floor of Joe’s house drinking beer.

 **DISCLAIMER** : I DO NOT OWN THE FLASH OR ANY OF THE CHARACTERS :)

* * *

The house was the same as it had been when he left, Joe noted as he finally walked through the door that was the only thing keeping him from entering his home. After Carver’s death, he had been released from Witness Protection and he was finally able to come home to the people he cared about most. Cecile, Barry, Jenna and Team Flash. Of course, Barry had briefed him on the whole situation the night after Mirror-Iris’ death so he knew not to expect his little girl to be there to see him any time soon.

Cecile had the largest smile on her face as she walked back into the lounge from the kitchen, two beer bottles in her hands. It had been awhile since she had last had any form of alcohol in her system, and she believed that beer was going to fit the mood best. Plus, it was the only form of alcohol in the house.

“Welcome Home” Cecile said to Joe softly, kissing him square on the lips as she passed him his beer bottle. Joe gratefully took both.

She pulled away and placed herself down on the couch beside Joe, snuggling up next to him as she soaked up his warmth for the first time in awhile. The smile on Joe’s face as he wrapped his arms around Cecile was almost the same size as Cecile’s smile she had when he entered his home just minutes ago. The pair stayed like that for a while, basking in each other’s silent company as they just relaxed from the day. 

* * *

It was exactly 25 minutes later when the door opened, revealing a worn out Scarlet Speedster. 

Joe hopped up from the couch, wanting to embrace his son in another bone-crushing hug, because he knew that Barry also needed that as much as he did. Barry slowly entered the house, his movements to lethargic to suggest he needed help. Cecile smiled once more as Barry flashed them both a gentle smile, his tiredness not being masked well. Joe snicked softly as he watched Barry lean on the wall for support, his legs too tired to carry him much farther into the house.

“Tired, Bear?” Joe asked softly, a light smile on his face as he watched Barry slowly slip down the wall and onto the floor, whatever strength he previously had in his body was long gone. Cecile sighed sympathetically at Barry, she knew why he was so tired. They had lost. Carver had been murdered by his wife in cold blood, just because she wanted revenge for her husband’s crimes against unsuspecting metas.

Barry nodded in response to Joe’s question, his eyes slipping shut as if he had just fallen asleep on Joe’s floor. It wouldn’t be the first time that he had done that though.

“We don’t need a repeat of how you slept on my floor one day in your junior year, Bartholomew” Joe joked, sitting down opposite his son, his beer bottle still in his hand. Barry smiled tiredly at the memory--that just so happened to be the first time Joe had given him beer and it didn’t end well. He hadn’t ended up drunk, nor did he throw up at any point, but he had just wanted to try beer for the first time and he just so happened to be that tired that he had managed to use the beer to help him fall asleep and sp that’s how Iris found both him and her father on the floor asleep one day during Barry’s junior year. 

Cecile walked back into the lounge once more, another beer bottle in her hand as she walked towards the tired man on the floor. She passed him the beer bottle, surprised that he actually had enough energy to grab it from her. Joe chuckled as Barry opened his eyes ever so slightly, a small smile of gratitude on his face as he looked at Cecile. 

“You’re welcome, Barr” She whispered to him, waving goodnight to both him and Joe. She walked up the stairs, leaving the two boys to themselves.

“I can’t believe how much you’ve grown up” Joe said, “I still remember the night you came to live with us as if it was yesterday”

Barry snorted in response, leaning his head against the wall he was perched up against. The two lapsed into silence as Joe took another sip from his beer, his whole body relaxing from the drink in his system. 

“‘m remember that day too,” Barry mumbled, a soft grin on his face. Whilst that was based off of a tragedy, that same tragedy gave Barry a new family, that tragedy gave Barry the people he had in his life today. Of course, Barry would always wonder what it would’ve been like to grow up with his parents, but he would always be thankful for the people that the tragedy gave him. 

“i also remember the time i set your garage on fire,” Barry admitted, his eyes fluttering open so he could blearily stare at his foster father. Joe choked on his beer at the reminder. He forgot that Barry had ruined his garage--on accident of course--with a science experiment. He rolled his eyes and placed a hand on Barry’s calf, patting it gently as a simple reminder that the next time Jenna did a number two, he’d change the diaper. ‘Thank you Barry, for that reminder’, Joe thought as he turned his head to his son, who was finally having some of the beer Cecile had given him. 

“I also happen to remember the day of your 4th grade science fair,” Joe mentioned, smiling at the memory, “You set the gym in fire and you almost killed one of your teachers”

“Tomato, tomato” Barry replied, a smile forming on his face as he remembered that night. He had really wanted to impress Joe.  
“You wanna know what my favourite memory was?” Joe asked Barry, sliding over so he and Barry were sitting shoulder-to-shoulder with each other. He wrapped an arm around Barry, letting it rest on Barry’s chest as he felt Barry’s head lay on his shoulder. 

“When you tortured Iris and I for a week after we crashed your porsche?” Barry asked, snorting as he heard Joe chuckle softly. Joe shook his head, although in his mind, that was a pretty good memory for himself, the teens not so much.

“No,” Joe replied honestly, “It was when you and Iris decided to change what mother’s day and father’s day meant for me”

* * *

He remembered how he had been woken up by Barry and Iris, who were 12 at the time, with the smell of burnt food in the air. Of course, he was skeptical on what the pree-teens had been up to whilst he was busy sleeping but seeing the innocent looks on their faces made his heart swell on the inside. 

“Happy Parent Day!” The duo had cheered to him, bearing cards and a balloon for him. The balloon was just a casual yellow one, they thought getting a happy mother’s day one was just a bit weird for him. The smile that had been expressed in Barry and Iris’ faces was the best thing he had seen in a long time, especially on Barry’s face. He hadn’t been smiling much since he lost his mother and his father had been thrown into jail for her murder. 

“What’s all this about then?” He remembered questioning his kids, happiness in his voice as he noted how happy they both were. It had been awhile since either of them had been truly happy. 

“We just wanted you to have a special day” Barry replied, handing Joe his card. Iris doing the same thing.

“You’ve been there for us both, like a mother and a father so we thought why not say thank you for that and give you something special” Iris explained, tying the balloon to the footrest on Joe’s bed.

* * *

“I remember that,” Barry said to Joe, taking a sip from his beer. Barry pressed himself closer into Joe’s side, relishing in the heat and security Joe was giving him. Joe squeezed Barry tightly, kissing the top of Barry’s head. 

Barry had missed Joe a lot, he had missed the way he had grounded him from getting lost in his emotions. Joe was the man who had been a dad to him for so long, he couldn’t do this without him. 

Joe had missed Barry a lot, he had missed the way Barry’s optimism outweighed the darkness he had gone through in his life. Barry was the kid who had been a son to him for so long, he couldn’t do it without him.

* * *

_**I thought that Joe and Barry deserved a small little scene to reconnect after Joe’s time in Witness Protection. Sure, they had shared a hug in the season finale in the show, but I wanted a more down to earth scene than just them hugging in front of Team Flash.** _


End file.
